6 things you should always consider when editing your photographs

 

 

While not every photo will require the same exact editing process or techniques, or perhaps even require the same editing software be used, there are some common elements when editing nearly any image. Photographer and educator Jamie Windsor wants to help you become a better editor, particularly in Lightroom and Photoshop, so he has created a new video focused on six things you should be doing when editing photos.

Jamie's first tip is to always consider cropping your images. While in an ideal world, you nail the framing perfectly in camera. However, it's not always so easy. It's amazing how much you can improve an image by making a simple crop and getting the edges of the frame closer to your subject. You don't often want a lot of empty space in the frame, as it usually doesn't contribute to the story of the shot and doesn't do any compositional work for you.

The second step you should always take when editing your images is to consider your white balance. Assuming you shot in raw – which you should be doing in most cases – you will be able to easily adjust the white balance of your shot without hurting your image quality. White balance is key to not only how your image looks, but also how it feels. Adjusting white balance can dramatically change the story of a photograph. In some cases, adjusting white balance is a matter of correction, which means that you are trying to make your image true to life with how it appeared to your eyes or creating a perfect white. However, you can also use white balance artistically and create a mood with a white balance which may not be accurate.

To see the other four things you should do when editing photos, watch Windsor's full video below. To see more of his work, visit his website, YouTube channel and follow him on Instagram.

(Via Jamie Windsor)